Commentary: VIA is a lifeline, during and after this...

1of2A cyclist wearing a protective face mask loads her bike onto the front of a VIA Metropolitan Transit bus. VIA is a lifeline for many San Antonio residents, and will be a key to our region’s economic recovery and future mobility.Photo: Eric Gay /Associated Press

2of2Hope AndradePhoto: /

Every San Antonian and neighbor in our region, every small business here, every corporation and nonprofit is feeling the immediate impact of the public health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus.

Local leaders and residents are responding with caution and compassion to our new reality, while essential service providers are navigating new challenges that have brought our resources and resolve to bear.

Meeting basic daily needs such as obtaining food, reporting for work or caring for others in need has become a struggle for many. That’s why now, more than ever, VIA Metropolitan Transit is committed to keeping people moving when it matters most.

Even as transit use across the country declines and more people stay home, transit workers are holding the line for the many San Antonians who are keeping the doors open at the local businesses and services we rely on. Without transit workers, the people who keep shelves stocked at gas stations and grocery stores, operate safety-net nonprofits, distribute medications at pharmacies and treat the sick at health care facilities could not get to where they’re most needed.

Each day, hundreds of dedicated VIA employees are helping maintain essential service in a safe environment. VIA’s emergency response plan is focused on the health and safety of employees and the public. It includes frequent and enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of buses, vans and facilities; personal protective equipment for front-line employees, including operators; and social distancing measures, such as safe capacity limits aboard vehicles.

We’ll keep taking these extra steps and more so we can begin the work necessary for our region’s social and economic recovery.

And while we don’t yet know the full financial impact of this crisis, we can be certain our ability to help restore normalcy and pave a new path toward growth and prosperity begins with keeping our wheels in motion.

Eventually, we will turn a corner. The economy will rebound, jobs will once again open up, and our community will get back on its feet. When that happens, mobility will continue to be essential. Without it, reconnecting will be nearly impossible.

VIA must be ready to operate as a robust transit system to help carry our community forward and put more opportunity within reach for those hit hard by unprecedented setbacks. In time, we will refocus our efforts and reimagine our region as an area that’s connected by a strong bus network and rapid transit options, and that embraces innovation to solve new challenges.

We know transit has never been a luxury for our community. It is often a lifeline. For San Antonio families who count transportation as their second-largest expense after housing, it will soon become clear how frequent, reliable transit can mean the difference between success and slipping through the cracks. Looking ahead, public transit will be the driver for equitable economic opportunities, educational attainment, sustainable living and all the things we value as a community.

Ensuring these things are preserved and restored is key. Turning that key will require the force of mobility — not just for people riding VIA, but for everyone who relies on VIA riders getting where they need to go, so we can all move forward together.